Sean Avery: EMOFUNK

Browsing the Bandcamp website for new music by Madison-based artists is tedious, but it can pay off big. Case in point: EMOFUNK by Sean Avery, a UW First Wave student who moved here from Arizona. It’s available as a free download, and bonus tracks can be found on his SoundCloud page.

Avery employs beats by legendary producer J Dilla and jazz trio BADBADNOTGOOD, which make EMOFUNK feel like a blend of Guru’s Jazzmatazz and Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon II. His rhymes have Bay Area influences. Artists like Andre Nickatina and Zion I come to mind.

Bravado-filled opening track “Super Sean” has a heavy boom-bap beat infused with a West Coast funk vibe reminiscent of the one in 2Pac’s “California Love.” On “No More Light,” Avery ponders confidence and destructive behavior, concluding that he needs to do things for himself, not to win others’ approval.

The honest and personal lyrics, distinctive beats and engaging delivery style make EMOFUNK an exceptional hip-hop album for Madison.